


Lean on Me

by aloriahfray



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-16
Updated: 2014-01-16
Packaged: 2018-01-08 22:09:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1137978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aloriahfray/pseuds/aloriahfray
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Daryl returns to the prison after putting down Merle, Rick is there to comfort him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lean on Me

Rick didn't hesitate to hurry to the gate as he saw Daryl making his way back towards the prison. He knew he had gone after Merle and had expected him to return with his brother, but he was alone. A surge of fear for his friend coursed through him and he made his way out into the field to meet him.

He had planned on asking Daryl if he'd found Merle or not, but as they stopped in front of each other he knew there was no point. The truth was written all over the hunter's face. It was in the hopeless expression he wore and the darkness in his eyes. Merle was gone.

"Daryl…," he muttered weakly, sympathy making his heart sink. He knew all too well what it was like to lose a brother. No matter what kind of man Shane had turned into, he had been like family to Rick. Surely it wasn't as painful as losing blood, but still…

His friend looked up at him and shook his head, tears swelling in his eyes. He was chewing the inside of his lip and obviously trying not to cry, still so prideful even while grieving. "He, uh…he took out some of the Governor's army…but…"

"Hey…hey, I don't need the details right now," Rick insisted, placing his hands on Daryl's shoulders and meeting his gaze. "Daryl, you don't have to be tough all the time."

Rick wasn't sure what it was about his words, but they were all it took. All of Daryl's feigned strength fell away and he began to sob, his shoulders shaking and tears spilling from his eyes. The sight was heart wrenching. This man who was always so strong—as tough as steel—had instantly crumpled into a broken mess of emotion. He was like a lost child, shrinking away from Rick out of instinct, but the deputy wasn't having any of that.

He pulled the other man into a tight hug, resting his chin on his head, and although Daryl tensed up at the contact initially, he eventually leaned into Rick. He cried into his shoulder, his body shaking and limp.

After a long moment he managed to pull himself together somewhat and step back, swiping the back of his hand across his eyes as he muttered, "That fucking 'Governor' shot him in the chest…let him turn…I had to put my own brother down, man…"

He shook his head and took a deep breath, calming his sobs and slowing his tears. Rick thought he looked almost ashamed of his breakdown now, his eyes looking everywhere but at the man that had just been hugging him.

"Shit…I'm sorry," Rick sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But your brother…he did a good thing. He tried to help the group and that was a very selfless thing to do."

"Yea…man does one selfless thing in his life and he gets killed for it," Daryl scoffed. "Fuckin' figures. Look, can we just not talk about it right now?"

Rick nodded, respecting Daryl's wishes. This man had been there for his kids while he was breaking down after Lori's death, it was the least he could do.

"Of course…but just know if you do need to talk about it eventually, I'm willin' to listen," Rick offered. He hadn't talked about Lori or Shane to anyone and it had nearly run him into the ground. He wasn't going to let his friend make that same mistake.

"Thanks." The hunter gave a nod and took another steadying breath. "I'm gonna go for a hunt…I could teach ya some stuff…trackin' or whatever. If ya want."

Rick smiled and nodded. He really did need to learn that stuff and there was no one better to learn from, but that wasn't the only reason he agreed. He knew Daryl just didn't want to do that alone—that it would make him think of Merle too much—and though Rick knew he could never replace the other Dixon, he could still try to be the family that Daryl needed to get through this.


End file.
